Kanon: Shira
by WaterBendingQueen88
Summary: Shira, Yuuchi's twin sister, joins him as they return after a seven year absence. What adventures await them as they relive memories that were almost forgotten. This is a test to see if anyone is interested in reading this or wants to help me write it. Please write back.


It's snowing. Pure white show swirled down from the overcast sky. A damp wooden bench... cold, clear air...

"..." a boy sighs.

He rouse his body, slumped on the bench and corrected his posture yet again. His twin sister sitting next to him. The stream of people leaving the snow-covered station had slowed to a trickle. Sighing white vapor, the boy glanced at the town clock in the station plaza. It was three o'clock. It was still daylight, but they could only guess at the position of the sun beyond the thick clouds.

"...She's late." The boy slumped back into his seat and casted the words into the sky.

The boy and girl were briefly blinded by the white mist of their frozen breaths before the north wind sent it streaming away. A winter wind, pierced their skin... The ever-plesent snow, falling without end... The curtain of white flakes which hide the sky seemed to be thickening out of spite.

"What the heck is she doing?"

"Don't worry, she'll be here," assured his sister. Once more, the boy disturbed the air with a sigh. This time, however, the puff of steam that evoked was not the only thing that obscured his vision.

A girl was bending over to peer at the boy and girl's faces; her head now separated them from the snowy clouds above. "You've got a bunch of snow on you."

The boy breathed out sharply through tight lips, expelling another cloud of vapor. "That's because we've been waiting around out here for two hours..."

Under the circumstances, it was a miracle the boy and girl weren't buried up to their necks.

"...oh?" the girl tilted her head curiously at his words. "Oh my goodness! I didn't realize I was so late. I thought it was just two o'clock." Despite her words, she didn't look at all surprised. Her voice was slow, feminine, and sleepy.

"Even if it were two o'clock, you'd still be an hour late," said the boy.

"Aren't you cold?" asked the girl.

"We're freezing," answered the boy's sister. The snow was a novelty at first, but now it was just depressing them.

"I guess so, I'm so sorry..." the girl laughed and brushed the snow off the siblings. "It's been seven years now."

"Has it really been that long?" asked the sister. The twins were comparing the snowy landscape around them with the few scraps of memory they retained from their early childhoods.

"Hey, do you even remember my name after all this time?" the girl wondered.

"What about you? Do you still remember what our names are?" the brother asked.

In the snow... In the snow-covered streets... Those memories of seven years ago... they seemed only to be a breath away.

"It's Yuichi and Shira," answered the girl.

"Hanako," the boy, Yuuichi replied.

"No, that's not it at all!" the girl laughed.

"Steve."

"You do remember that I'm a girl, right?" She adopted a worried frown. Each word, like the snow which covered the ground, was filling the blank spaces of the twins memories.

"Man, I am seriously going to catch a cold," Yuuichi shivered.

"But you still haven't guessed my name."

Yuuichi and Shira both grabbed their bags and got up. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"But, Yuuichi, Shira."

The town of seven years ago... Surrounded by the snow of seven years ago... The siblings turned to the girl.

"Are you coming, Nayuki?" asked Yuuichi.

"Let's go, Nayuki." added Shira.

"Ah... Mmhmm," the girl, Nayuki, beamed and run up to catch up with the twins. Their new lives, caught like a flag in the winter wind, spread out before them.

It's a dream... I'm dreaming. It's the same one I have every day... And it never ends. Red snow... A world stained in red.

A small child is crying... Almost eclipsing the sunset. I wanted... I wanted at least to wipe away his tears... But my hands would not leave my sides... And the tears streaming down his cheeks disappeared into the snow. All I could do was watch... It was so frustrating and sad.

'It will be alright... Don't cry... I promise.'

I can't help but wonder whose's words those were. They seem to be too far away to be mine.

The dream fades to a distant color... It fades to a promise...

Silver overture

From somewhere comes the sound of a door slamming shut. The cold air reverberated the sound of feet running along the wooden floor. The approaching footsteps intruded on the silence of Yuuichi's room and Shira's room.

Yuuichi snuggled deeper into his bed with sleep still heavy upon him, trying to return to his dreams. Since it was still winter vacation, Yuuichi and Shira wanted to sleep awhile longer. They closed their eyes, but once again, as they slept... there was a patter as they slept.

"Oh... where's my uniform?" They could hear a girl's voice through their walls.

Yuuichi an Shira's minds began to wake. Yuuichi's room was empty, without any furnishings... "...where the heck am I?"

"Oh... I really don't have time for this..." Considering the urgency implied by her words, she didn't sound very worried. The door slammed again.

Yuichi sat up, rubbed his eyes and shook his head vigorously. Cold clear air filled the silent room. An unfamiliar room with unfamiliar bookcases. And from somewhere distant, a girl's voice. And just as he woke, the memory flowed back.

Out of habit, Yuichi threw open the curtains. Blinding white light instantly struck him. The gentle morning shone a piercing silvern glow, despite his shut eyes. A snowy landscape lied beyond the window in all directions. The trees in the garden, the rooftops across, and beyond. Everything that he could see was topped with white.

Then Yuichi and Shira exited their rooms. At the same time Nayuki was walking up the stairs.

"Uniform, Uniform..." muttered the girl. Her eyes meet Yuichi's and Shira's.

"Oh... Good morning, Yuichi. Good morning Shira," she smiled as she greeted them, as though that was what she had been intending all along.

"What's with all the racket?" Shira rubbed her eyes.

"Do you have to make a ruckus this early?" Yuichi crossed his arms.

"No, no that's not right. You're supposed to say 'Good Morning' back to me ok?"

"Fine, Good Morning," Yuichi and Shira both bowed, still somewhat caught off guard.

"Perfect. Now wasn't that much better." Despite the seven years, this was without a doubt the same little girl from back then. Even if she appeared different from what they remembered...

Then Nayuki remembered something. "Oh, Yuichi, Shira, have you seen my uniform anywhere?"

"I thought Aunt Akiko said she was going to wash it for you, didn't she?" said Yuichi.

"Oh!" Nayuki seemed to remember as well, because she turned on her heels and rushed down the stairs.

'No big loss, it's the dorkiest uniform ever," muttered Yuichi.

"It's not dorky!" Nayuki yelled downstairs.

"Whatever, dork," grinned Yuichi.

"Guess, she heard you," shrugged Shira.

Moments later... She came bounding back up the stairs, the uniform clutched tight in her hands. "I found it! It was in the laundry, like you said!"

"Glad I could be of some use," replied Yuichi.

"It's still a bit damp though..." Nayuki went into her room to change.

"Well then, why don't you put it under the kotatsu? That should dry it pretty quick like, uh, you know," Yuuichi suggested through the door.

"But if I put it under there, it's going to get all wrinkled, won't it?"

"Smart people don't wear wet clothes."

"And in the winter," added Shira.

Nayuki laughed. "Well, I guess I'd rather be unwise then wrinkled."

Yuichi and Shira turned their backs on the doorplate- "Nayuki's Room"- and leaned against the door. "Aren't you still on winter break until tomorrow?" asked Yuuichi.

"Yeah, but I've got to go to school for club stuff." Her reply came from just the other side of her door. "I'm team captain, you know."

"Oh, yeah. You mentioned something about that yesterday."

"Yep, it's for the track team," answered Nayuki.

"Oh, you're captain of the track team," said Shira.

The twins followed Nayuki down the stairs. "Yuck, it's more wet then I thought," muttered Nayuki.

Neither Yuichi or Shira knew how far it was to school, or when Nayuki's club started. "Aren't you supposed to be there pretty soon?" Yuichi asked.

"I know, I know, I've got to hurry up," answered Nayuki, getting her boots on.

While they were lingering at the entrance, there came a voice from behind. "Nayuki, it's so late all ready, are you sure you're going to make it on time?" It was Akiko, and she was holding a pot of boiling water.

"I will if I can do a hundred meter dash in under seven seconds."

"It'd have to be a world record," Yuichi deadpanned.

"Be careful, honey."

"Can I ask what that's for?" Yuichi pointed at the boiling water.

"What this thing?"

As Nayuki opened the door, the siblings glimpsed the carpet of snow outside, undisturbed by footprints. The freezing wind that blew in was of a different level than the coldness in the house. Akiko went outside and poured the water on the frozen gate.

"Oh, I was thinking that... never mind," sighed Yuichi.

"Alright see you guys later!" Nayuki called as she ran.

"Hey, Nayuki!" Yuichi called as Nayuki turned around, running in place. "Can you maybe show us around town when you get back later?"

Yuichi and Shira used to know their way around quite well, but naturally they've forgotten nearly everything. If they hadn't, they wouldn't have waited so long on that bench out in the cold. The twins wanted at least to know their way to school before they started going there tomorrow.

Nayuki nodded. "Mmhmm, I'd happy to if that's what you really want to do."

"Yeah, we would!" cried Shira.

"Then it's settled, I'll see you later!" then Nayuki ran to school.

"Be sure to watch out for cars, now!" reminded Akiko.

Later, Yuichi and Shira were helping Akiko shovel snow.

"It's hard work, isn't it?" the landlady said. "Feel free to take a break whenever you get too tired."

"Thanks, but we're alright," Yuichi assured.

"We can handle it," added Shira.

"Can't tell you how nice it is to have a boy around," laughed Akiko.

'This is our mother's younger sister Akiko Minase. She's Nayuki's mother.'

As Yuichi dumped another shovel-full of snow, Shira touched his arm. "Uh, Yuichi..." Shira pointed.

Her brother gasped. Akiko was far away now. "Man, can that girl shovel some snow or what?"

After a while, the siblings plonked down on the living room sofa. "I am wiped," groaned Yuichi.

**So far I've kinda been copying the visual novel. As you can see, I need help.**


End file.
